(Another) Rewarding Day with Habitat for Humanity

On Tuesday, May 19, 2016, DH Charles Santa Rosa, returned to the Cotati Habitat for Humanity building site to work on the final house. This particular building site had its ground breaking on September 14, 2013 with plans for 5 single family homes and the final home is only weeks away from being completed. Volunteers complete 90% of the labor on these homes, which means the site foreman was happy to see us.

The sun came out early that day and the heat was strong, but we had motivation in view, right across the street was the house we had worked on last year, complete and being lived in. We were given only one major task, digging the driveway out. There was 14 inches of dirt and clay that needed to be dug up and hauled away. Everyone grabbed a shovel or a pick axe and got to work. Though the labor was hard, the team still had a good time taking turns digging with shovels, using the jack hammer to loosen the clay and dumping wheelbarrows full of dirt in the dump trailer.

While the driveway was being dug out another smaller group dug a 2 foot deep trench along where the porch will be. This trench is going to be used for the main water and sewer lines. Due to the placement of the trench the group had to continuously monitor and measure the depth and width of what they were digging, not deep enough and the pipes were at risk of exposure, too far out and they were digging into the front yard.

In 2015 Habitat for Humanity helped 1.8 million people worldwide, through home construction, rehabilitation, repairs or increased access to better shelters though products and services. Each year over 2 millions volunteers worldwide take time out of their days to make an impact, a bigger impact then they even realize.